A DAY APART: Missing EC Scenes from 816, 'LA'
by MightyMiaBoo
Summary: This one-shot is a collection of the "missing" Calleigh & Eric scenes that I would've liked to see in episode 8.16: "L.A." Mostly E/C fluff, of course. Rated M for steamy content and soft adult language.


_**A DAY APART**_, aka _**Missing E/C Scenes from 8.16 ("L.A.")**_

**by Mia**

**Summary:** This one-shot is a collection of the "missing" Calleigh & Eric-related scenes that I would have liked to see in episode 8.16 ("L.A."). Mostly E/C fluff, of course. ;-)

**Featured Characters**: Calleigh Duquesne and Eric Delko.

**Author's Note: **Like many other Calleigh-and-Eric fans of "CSI: Miami," I found episode 8.16 ("L.A.") to be somewhat disappointing, in that there were no scenes of our beloved Hiphuggers together (not even a phone call!). I'd been so excited to learn that Eric would be appearing in "L.A.," only to have my hopes largely dashed when there wasn't a single E/C moment in the episode. Naturally, I was inspired to write this one-shot fic throwing together a collection of the E/C scenes that I would've liked to see in the episode. This story also contains some scenes involving other "CSI: Miami" characters, which were necessary to put the E/C moments in context and to remain true to the episode's storyline.

This fic is not a sequel to my 1st E/C story, "The Talk," but it does presume that Calleigh & Eric have already admitted that they love each other, and have established a committed relationship.

**Timeline: **Episode 8.16 was written and shot to make it appear as though its bi-coastal events all occurred within a single day (apparently without any nightfall on either coast!). Considering that it takes 5 hours each way to fly from Miami to L.A. and back (that's 10 hours just for travel time!), it didn't seem realistic or humanly possible for the entire episode to occur within the daylight hours of a single day. Therefore, I took the literary license of having Horatio and Eric stay overnight in Los Angeles. (Plus, as you'll read, this was a necessary plot element of my fic).

***Idiomatic Note: **As used in my fic, the term "mug" means "face;" for those readers for whom (American) English is not a first language.

**RATING: This story is rated "M" for steamy content and (soft) adult language.** It's not particularly graphic, but it is a bit explicit, and therefore appropriate **ONLY for adult readers**. Therefore, if you are considered underage in your country of residence, or love-scenes are not your cup of tea, please **STOP** reading here. Otherwise, please enjoy!

_Disclaimer__: I do __not__ own the characters from "CSI: Miami," or any dialogue from the script for the episode that I've incorporated into my story. The rights to those characters, the script and to the show belong to the creators of the show, Jerry Bruckheimer Television, and CBS._

* * *

**A Day Apart**

Eric sighed impatiently as he watched each of the floor numbers on the elevator light up slowly - too slowly for his liking - as it made its way to the main lobby of CSI Headquarters. His heart rate accelerated with anticipation as a shrill ping indicated that he'd reached his desired destination. He'd scarcely been able to contain his excitement earlier when Talbot had informed him that his latest assignment would be the Leslie Stultz murder case, because it had meant that, with any luck, he'd get to spend a moment or two with Calleigh. In fact, the first call he'd made after getting his marching orders had been to his stunning girlfriend, to let her know that he'd be in her neck of the woods today. Even though he'd awoken to her beautiful face just a few hours ago and they'd engaged in his favorite way to start the morning - making love - he missed her already, and was looking forward to seeing her. The fact that they'd have to keep it "strictly business" while they conducted the investigation wouldn't detract from the sheer thrill he always experienced merely by being in the same room with her.

However, when the elevator doors opened, interrupting his reverie, he was met by Horatio, along with Rebecca Nevins, the Assistant State Attorney. And if Caine's body language was anything to go by, it looked like he was about to hightail it out of the building. Eric greeted them both, and Rebecca - who was now technically one of his supervisors - instructed him to shadow Horatio before abruptly walking away. That was Rebecca for you.

"What's going on?" Eric asked, curious about H.'s edgy demeanor.

"We're going to L.A." Horatio answered, as though that explained everything. Delko knew better than to ask questions right then and there; he figured H. would clarify everything well before they touched down in the City of Angels. So the younger man merely turned on his heels and followed his mentor's lead, excited at the chance for them to work together again, and in a new setting to boot.

_"Well, I guess I won't be seeing Cal today, after all,"_ he thought, feeling a slight twinge of disappointment at not being able to say goodbye to her in person. He resolved to find a way to make it up to her when he got back to Miami, smiling as all kinds of delicious ideas for accomplishing just that ran through his mind.

* * *

Horatio and Eric had decided to leave the new S.A. Forensic Expert's car in the Miami-Dade P.D.'s parking garage and to take the Chief CSI's ride to the airport. Unsurprisingly, the always-prepared H. had already had a pre-packed overnight bag stashed in the trunk of his car, but they'd needed to take a brief detour to Delko's condo so he could throw a few essentials in his duffel bag. On the way there, Caine had filled his protégé in on the Stultz homicide investigation, Tony Enright's possible involvement in this and two other murders in L.A., and the efforts to clear Jesse Cardoza's name of evidence-tampering accusations in connection with one of those West Coast cases.

There was a comfortable lull in the conversation as the duo drew closer to the airport, and Eric decided to seize the opportunity to let Calleigh know his whereabouts. He wanted desperately to call her so he could hear the sweet Southern lilt in her voice that always drove him wild, but he thought better of doing so with H. in the car right next to him. Now that Delko was no longer a CSI, he and Calleigh didn't have to worry about Rick Stetler and his cursed "no-fraternization" policy any more, but Eric respected his girlfriend's desire to reveal their romance to others on a need-to-know basis only. Left to him, he'd be shouting to the world from every rafter in Miami that he was dating the love of his life, but Cal had always been the couple's more cautious half. And while dating him wouldn't violate any rules, his work at the S.A.'s office often brought him to his old CSI stomping-grounds, and she understandably wished to avoid the whispers, office gossip, and innuendo that would inevitably follow each of his visits if everyone knew they were seeing each other.

Determining that discretion was the better part of valor, Eric decided to text his significant other instead. Knowing that they were short on time, Delko tried to say as much as he could in as few words as possible. His fingers glided gracefully over the keys of his Blackberry as he typed:

_Stopped by CSI HQ earlier, but H. whisked me away.  
Flying with him to L.A. to help clear Jesse re Victoria Enright murder case.  
Will call or text when I land.  
Missing u already.  
Love u,  
E._

The energetic chiming and vibrating of her cell alerted Calleigh to the fact that she had a new text message. She quickly retrieved the phone from the pocket of her blazer, smiling when she saw that the message was from the sexy Cuban-American heartthrob that she was fortunate enough to call her boyfriend. The corners of her lips dipped slightly when she read the content of his message, saddened by the prospect of not seeing him for the next day or so. Now that they no longer had the same employer, it was difficult enough to make it through an entire workday without laying eyes on his handsome face. Not being able to do so for a period twice or three times that long was going to seem like an eternity. Suppressing a sigh, she tapped out the following reply on her mobile phone:

_Missing you also.  
How am I gonna survive w/o seeing your cute mug* while ur gone?  
Anyways, good luck, be safe, and hurry back.  
- C.  
P.S. Luv u too. :-)_

Eric received Calleigh's reply just as H. was pulling into the parking structure at Miami International, and Delko had to fight to suppress a smile at her adorableness, not wanting to tip H. off to what he was up to. As Eric re-read her text, he was struck for umpteenth time by just how in love he was with this amazing woman, and how much she completed him. As much as he relished the chance to work side-by-side with his old boss, the upcoming twenty-four hours were going to be hell without Calleigh. He'd just have to work extra hard during his stint in SoCal so he could hurry back to her, as she'd requested.

* * *

About an hour later, Natalia stopped by Calleigh's usual haunt, the Ballistics Lab, to get up-to-speed on the status of their inquest into Tony Enright and his sleazy cohorts. The female investigators discussed the evidence that Cal and Walter had collected at the self-professed Porn King's mansion, including the eerie recording of the murder.

"Hey, speaking of 'crime-fighting,' wasn't that Eric I spotted in the lobby not too long ago?" Natalia asked inquisitively.

"Yeah, the S.A.'s office assigned him to shadow Horatio on the Stultz murder case," Calleigh responded with as much nonchalance as she could muster.

"Uh-huh," replied the brunette, her tone indicating that she was clearly not buying her blonde colleague's feigned insouciance. Calleigh might _think_ she was doing a good job of keeping her relationship with Eric discreet, but it was pretty much an open secret in the department. "Well, they sure took off outta here like two Olympic sprinters. Were they heading back to the crime scene?"

"Nope ... they're actually headed to L.A., of all places. They're gonna look into one of Jesse's old cases with the LAPD, 'cause it could compromise ours."

"Really? You mean, Eric left for a trip to the other side of the country for God knows how long, and you didn't even get to give him a kiss goodbye?" Nat queried with a teasing wink, no longer trying to hide the fact that she was shamelessly prying.

"H. told me that the investigation should only take about a day; two at most, if something really unusual comes up. And besides," Calleigh continued, giving her fellow-CSI a meaningful smile, "Eric and I already said our _goodbyes_ this morning, _before _we left for work." Though the Southern Belle's coy revelation could hardly be classified as over-sharing, she still couldn't suppress the slight blush that colored her face. But she quickly shrugged it off, reminding herself that this was Nat, after all. Over the years, the former FBI lab tech and the Ballistics-maven had become close girlfriends, so Cal felt comfortable divulging this teensy-weensy detail about her love-life.

"Oh, I see," Natalia laughed, amused by her co-worker's discomfiture. "It's like that now, is it?"

Calleigh avoided the DNA-expert's question, figuring she'd made more than enough admissions for one day. "Feel like getting back to work now, Boa Vista?" she jokingly queried.

"Fine, be a killjoy," came Nat's joking reply. She decided to let Duquesne off the hook for now, but she was sure that they'd be revisiting this topic of conversation in the very near future.

* * *

From the minute they landed, Horatio and Eric's day in Los Angeles flew by in a blur, as time was not a luxury that they possessed on this trip. H. rented a car right at the terminal, and they went straight from LAX to LAPD Headquarters, not even bothering to check into their hotel first. After a brief meeting with Capt. Chris Sutter, the two Miami investigators spent the entire afternoon poring over the LAPD's evidence files regarding the Victoria Enright murder case and Cardoza's police work in connection with it. Just after landing in L.A., Eric was able to steal a moment to shoot off a quick text message to let Calleigh know that he'd made it to his destination safely, but, unfortunately, his tight schedule didn't permit any more than that. It was only after Eric and Horatio had gotten to the bottom of the evidence-tampering allegations - discovering that it had been Capt. Sutter, and not Jesse, who'd removed a possibly-exculpatory piece of evidence from the old Enright crime scene - that the two had a long-overdue chance to breathe.

It was well into the evening by the time Horatio and Eric finally got around to checking into their hotel. They briefly considered catching a red-eye flight back to Miami, but H. nixed the idea, astutely figuring that they could use a good night's rest in a real bed, as opposed to a cramped, uncomfortable airline seat. To be honest, after their five-hour flight out to the West Coast and the breakneck pace of their investigative work since their arrival, the duo felt like two dead men walking. Although clearing Jesse's name was certainly cause for celebration, Caine and Delko forewent dinner on the town in favor of grabbing a bite to eat at the hotel restaurant, since anything more adventurous would require too much energy. By the time they stepped into the elevator to head up to their respective rooms, it was already ten-thirty Pacific time, and Eric was so weary that he could barely lift his hand to press the button for his floor.

Delko felt like he was struggling to stand upright as he silently willed the elevator to hurry. When it finally reached his floor, the younger man turned to take leave of his mentor for the evening.

" 'Night, H. See you in the a.m."

"Goodnight, Eric. Get some rest. And tell Calleigh I said hi," he added with a knowing smirk.

Eric felt his face flame like a five year-old caught with his hand in the cookie jar. But before he could come up with a plausible denial or snappy retort, the elevator doors closed, ending the conversation. He snickered to himself as he strode to his room, caught off-guard - but not at all surprised - by Horatio's powers of observation. After all, Miami's Chief CSI was nothing if not perceptive.

After taking a quick shower and throwing on the boxers and T-shirt that usually served as his sleepwear - that is, when he wasn't curled up behind his sexy soulmate in the nude - Eric settled down in bed to call Calleigh. They hadn't been apart for a full day yet, but already he missed her like crazy. Right about now, after an evening spent together watching TV or making love, he'd normally be in dreamland, lulled into a contented sleep by her enchanting fragrance and petal-soft skin, with one of his legs thrown over her lower body to maintain their close connection even in slumber. The cold, lumpy hotel pillow would be a poor substitute for her warm curves, he thought with an inward sigh. Since confessing their feelings and deciding to embark on a committed relationship, they hadn't spent a single night apart, and he hadn't realized until now just how much he'd come to depend on her presence. Suddenly needing to hear her voice more than he needed air, he quickly retrieved his cell phone and speed-dialed her number, hoping she'd pick up on the first ring.

* * *

Calleigh's day had turned out to be no less hectic than Eric's, and by the time she walked through the front door of her cozy house, she felt like she could barely put one foot in front of the other. The Stultz case had proven to be emotionally as well as physically draining. Even now, she shuddered as she remembered the cool detachment with which Coop Daly had confessed to killing Leslie and raping Anna, and the arrogant sneer on Enright's face when Calleigh had informed him that he was being charged for facilitating Anna's sexual assault. Neither man had exhibited the slightest bit of remorse. If there was one bright spot in all of this, it was that facing-off with animals like Daly and Enright made Calleigh appreciate all the more the wonderful man she had in Eric.

As she tossed her keys and bag on the living-room coffee table, it hit her out of the blue just how empty her home felt without him in it. She'd come to think of evenings as their special time together, a time she looked forward to every day. Over dinner, they'd usually help each other unwind by shooting the breeze about work, venting about the mutual frustrations and celebrating the little victories that came with working in the forensics field. And the rest of the night was typically spent watching one of the reality shows that Calleigh had managed to talk Eric into following with her, simply relishing each other's company, or enjoying each other in bed (her favorite evening diversion). Now, as she walked through her empty house, the silence was deafening. And that quietude wasn't likely to be broken any time soon by a phone call from Delko; just before she'd clocked out from CSI, he'd texted her to say that he and H. were neck-deep in their investigation, and that it would be awhile before he'd be able to take a break to call her. Come to think of it, it was probably a blessing in disguise that she was so pooped, since she'd probably just make herself a sandwich for dinner before collapsing into bed. Better to be asleep than to spend the evening staring at the empty space on the couch beside her.

* * *

Though she'd hit the sheets shortly before 9 o'clock, Calleigh had spent the next few hours dozing fitfully in her bed, trying in vain to chase the restful sleep that eluded her. The faint smell of Eric's cologne had swirled around her every time she'd touched his pillow, making her feel lonely and restless. She'd just fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep when the ringing of her cell phone awoke her. Though a bit disconcerted to be wrenched from her repose, she smiled enthusiastically when saw who the caller was.

"Hey babe," she greeted warmly, her voice a bit raspy from sleep.

"Hey, beautiful," he responded. "Did I wake you?"

"Kinda, but don't worry about it. I haven't really been asleep for that long, anyway." She chose not to reveal the reason for her inability to slumber peacefully, feeling a bit silly for missing him so much after such a relatively short time apart. "Did you and Horatio have any luck on the Victoria Enright case?" she continued.

Eric proceeded to describe their frenetic day of investigative work, and its fortuitous outcome: Obtaining a public exoneration for Jesse by the LAPD's top brass, and via press conference, no less. Calleigh interspersed their conversation with details from the Stultz/Kitson murder-rape case, letting him know that the CSI team had succeeded in finding the perpetrators of those brutal crimes.

"Given your Energizer-Bunny schedule, I guess it's safe to say that you and H. didn't get to do much Hollywood sightseeing?" she ventured wryly.

"You would be right," Eric retorted with a chortle. "Though we did stop to eat - or I should say, _inhale_ - lunch at this great Mexican taco stand just outside of Downtown. Every time I visit L.A., I can't help but notice the similarities between the Mexican and Cuban cultures. They're so alike in many ways, but really different in others."

"I haven't been out to the Left Coast in a few years, but I know exactly what you mean."

"Every so often while we were out on the investigation, I'd catch a glimpse of something that reminded me so much of Little Havana ... it would make me feel kind of homesick."

"Speaking of which, when are you guys coming back home?" Calleigh inquired, unable to entirely mask the hopefulness in her voice.

"We're gonna catch the first flight to Miami early tomorrow morning. Why do you ask ... are you missing me, Querida?" he asked silkily.

"Well, it _is_ kind of _lonesome_ in this big old bed without you lying next to me." Somewhat unconsciously, she punctuated her comment with a soft moan of longing. But the seductive sound did not escape Eric; and in fact, filled his mind with all kinds of sensual notions ...

"What are you wearing?" he queried sultrily, the sensuous timbre of his voice indicating that his thoughts were rapidly sliding into the gutter. Before he'd picked up the phone to call Calleigh, he would have sworn up-and-down that he'd be much too tuckered-out to think about anything remotely risqué; but, then again, she always tended to have that effect on him. It was just about impossible _not_ to have sex on the brain when it came to his blonde bombshell of a girlfriend.

"Oh, don't even go there, Mr. One-Track-Mind," she teased. "What I've got on is decidedly _un_-sexy: One of your ratty old T-shirts and a faded pair of your college sweatpants. Honestly, these sweats are so old that the elastic in the waist is practically shot; the dingy drawstring's the only thing holding 'em up." She omitted to mention that she'd specifically chosen to wear this outfit to bed because it still carried his uniquely intoxicating scent.

Even though he'd filled-out some in the physique department since college, Eric was nonetheless sure that his attire was totally swallowing-up Calleigh's petite frame, and the mental picture prompted a broad grin to creep across his face. Despite the fact that her chosen get-up probably concealed most of her mouthwatering curves, he couldn't think of anything sexier at the moment than the image of her lounging around and asleep in her bed with his clothes rubbing directly against her silky skin. How he wished he could take the place of her apparel!

"Well, since you're in bed, that must mean you're not wearing a bra, right?" he prodded hopefully. Truth be told, that visual was causing all kinds of happy goings-on in his nether regions.

Calleigh was sorely tempted to engage in some naughty phone chat with her super-hot beau, but in the end, exhaustion won out over desire. He'd roused her at the crack of dawn for a spine-tingling lovemaking session, and then she'd been plugging away non-stop on the Stultz/Kitson investigation until well into the evening. Now, almost 24 hours later, she was so doggone tired that her eyes were burning.

"Whoa there, Romeo," she admonished lightheartedly. "You haven't gone all 'Hollywood' on me already, have you? 'Cause it seems like you're forgetting that it's 2 o'clock in the morning back here in the Magic City. We're gonna need to take a rain check on the phone sex, since I can barely keep my eyes open."

Eric briefly considered persisting, but then he relented; she really did sound completely wiped-out. "Alright, but I'm gonna hold you to that rain check," he laughingly retorted. The thought of Calleigh caressing herself while purring to him over the phone was doing absolutely _nothing_ to settle things down beneath his boxer shorts. He was going to have a whale of a time trying to get to sleep, he thought ruefully as they said their loving good-nights and hung up.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon local time when Horatio and Eric's return flight touched down at MIA. Delko had hoped to stop by and see Calleigh when H. took him back to CSI Headquarters to pick up his car, but apparently, fate had other plans. As soon as he turned on his Blackberry after landing, Eric was met with an email from Rebecca Nevins tersely ordering him to report to the S.A.'s Office ASAP to give herself and Talbot a verbal briefing on his trip to L.A., and write a report on the results of his investigation. But he couldn't resist giving Calleigh a quick call from the car on his way to work; he needed to hear her voice to help him survive yet another afternoon without seeing her.

Just as he went to reach for his mobile phone, it vibrated mightily in his jacket pocket, and he shook his head in wonder when he saw that it was Calleigh. She'd always had this uncanny talent for reading him, apparently even when they weren't in the same location.

"You must be psychic," he said by way of greeting.

"Why, pray tell?"

"I was just going to call you to let you know that I'm back on Miami soil."

"Good to know," she teased. "So, are you headed home?"

"Nah, duty calls ... I gotta go by the office for an afternoon of meetings and paperwork," he groused. "But I really wanna see you, Cal. Can we get together later for some quality time at your house, or would you prefer my place?"

"Let's meet at my place. I was planning to cook up some seafood gumbo; so we can have dinner and hang out all evening."

Eric's stomach growled in response to her appetizing suggestion. The bland meal he'd been served on the airplane had been totally unsatisfying, and he was already more than a little hungry. Plus, Calleigh's gumbo - made from a "secret" recipe that her grandma had passed down to her - was the best he'd ever tasted. And, of course, his favorite lady-chef was pretty marvelous, too.

"Sounds perfect," he replied, accepting her invitation. "I can't wait to see you."

"Same here. See you later, then."

"Bye." As Eric pulled up to the State Attorney building, he found himself hoping that his next few hours at the office would elapse at the same lighting speed as his sojourn in Los Angeles.

* * *

It was shortly after nightfall by the time Eric turned his key in the front door lock of Calleigh's house. He found her in the kitchen tending to a pot of gumbo that wafted enticingly to his ravenous nose; the picture of happy domesticity.

"Hey babe, welcome back," she greeted, her beguiling jade eyes glimmering vivaciously.

"Hey, beautiful," he replied, sidling up to her. He drew her away from the stove and took her in his arms as though he were starved for her touch. She willingly stepped into his embrace, sighing contentedly at how safe she always felt there. She eagerly met his lips for a kiss, savoring the faint taste of cinnamon (from gum, she presumed), along with a delectable flavor that was singular to Eric.

"You're just in time ... the gumbo just needs to simmer for another fifteen minutes, and then dinner will be served," she said with a saucy flourish.

"Great. That'll give me just enough time to take a quick shower." He was looking forward to washing the feel of airplanes and airports off himself.

Over dinner, Calleigh caught Eric up on the latest happenings in the Kitson rape investigation, and they shared their mutual negative impressions of Enright's smarmy attorney, Darren Vogel, who'd flown from L.A. to Miami to represent his client in connection with that case. After their satisfying meal, the twosome amused themselves with one of the many reality "dating" shows that were Calleigh's guilty pleasure. But, in all honesty, she was finding it difficult to concentrate on the train-wreck unfolding on screen, distracted by the tempting specimen of Latino masculinity who sat behind her on the couch with his arms draped protectively around her waist.

She turned her face toward his and dotted his neck and chin with evocative kisses, unable to keep her lips from quirking smugly when she felt him hardening against her posterior.

"I'm thirsty," she commented blithely, her raised eyebrows indicating that she was referring to much more than her parched throat. "Wanna grab a couple of beers from the kitchen?"

"Sure," he agreed, rousing himself to head to the fridge. Eric wasn't quite sure where this was going, but, from the amorous look in Calleigh's eyes, he was pretty sure it would be somewhere good. His instincts were confirmed when he heard her bare feet padding quietly on the floor as she followed him into the kitchen.

He'd just snapped the caps off a pair of Bud Lights and put them on the counter when he felt her standing beside him. He turned to face her, and her impish expression left no doubt as to the licentious direction of her thoughts.

"Would you like a glass for your beer?" she asked, her voice dripping with mock innocence. She already knew that he'd answer in the negative, but she was also just as aware that reaching up to the high cupboard shelf to retrieve the tumbler in question would cause her top to inch up considerably, revealing a substantial expanse of skin to his ardent gaze.

"I, uh ..." he stammered as she turned back towards him, temporarily distracted by the way her unbound breasts swayed seductively beneath her thin pajama tank top. If he looked closely enough, he could just barely make out her lovely pink nipples through the filmy material. Calleigh caught him staring unabashedly at her chest, and the rosy tips instantly perked up in response to his attention. She gave him a knowing smile as she placed the unneeded glass on the counter, gratified by the effect she had on him.

He subtly shook himself, trying to regain his train of thought; but he knew she was onto him. _"Well, two can play this game,"_ he thought. If he had his way, he wouldn't be the only one getting torturously teased this evening.

Eric grazed his thumbs along the waistline of Calleigh's pajama-bottoms and over the hipbones peeking out just above it, delighting in the way she squirmed slightly against him despite her best attempts to conceal her reaction to his provocative stroking. His featherlight caress caused her baggy pants to slip down low on her hips, leaving them precariously perched just above her mons. Just a little nudge, and he'd catch a glimpse of the translucent scrap of material that passed for her underwear, not to mention the erotic treasures that lay beneath it ...

He blinked, trying to rein in his wandering thoughts, amazed at her incredible ability make him feel like a drooling, randy schoolboy at the drop of a hat. With no small effort, he re-directed his focus to inflicting the most sensual form of torture on the willing minx before him. He slipped his hand beneath the base of her tank top, coasting it over her waist and flat stomach; so close, but yet seemingly miles away from where she craved his touch the most. He brought his face towards hers as though he were going to kiss her, and she tilted her chin up expectantly. But just before his lips brushed against hers, he faked her out and reached behind her to swipe up his beer from the kitchen counter, relishing her moan of frustration.

_"A-ha, who's the tease now?"_ he thought with a self-satisfied smirk.

Just when he thought he'd gained the upper hand, Calleigh stole it right back from him by grinding herself against him, making him turn impossibly harder beneath his suddenly uncomfortably-snug jeans. And when she slid her hands under his shirt and began gently scraping her nails up and down his back, he just about lost it. He felt his knees buckling helplessly, and he had to swiftly put aside his forgotten beer so he could grab onto the granite counter-top to steady himself. Time to move their sensual activities to someplace a little less unforgiving - like her bed - before his lust caused him to face-plant on the hard travertine floor of her kitchen. To that end, he scooped her lithe body up into his arms as though she were weightless, and began to make his way to the bedroom.

"Eric!" Calleigh exclaimed, shocked and a little embarrassed at being swept up like some fairytale damsel in distress. "What are you - " He silenced her feeble protests with a bone-melting kiss, and in no time, her words turned into whimpers of desire.

"I figure it's time to take this to the bedroom, before we end up going at it on the kitchen floor," he explained with a roguish grin. The racy image sent a bolt of tingles through Calleigh's body, and she grasped even more tightly onto Eric's arms, enjoying the feel of his flexing biceps as he carried her.

"As enticing as that scenario is in theory, it could lead to some nasty tile-burn," she conceded with a giggle, drawing an answering chuckle from her boyfriend.

In the blink of an eye, they'd made it through the hallway, and Eric deposited her tenderly on her bed. Calleigh's hands moved to the buttons of his polo shirt, seeking to remove the garment and expose his tantalizing caramel skin, but he nimbly avoided her grasp, the mischievous glint in his eyes indicating that he was still in a teasing mood. Smirking at her chagrined whine, he straddled her hips and began to run his hands along her arms, leaving goosebumps in his wake. The caress, while stimulating, was entirely too innocent for her taste, and she yearningly mewled his name, hoping to coax him into touching her more intimately.

He eventually gave into her persuasive moaning, in part, at least. With the lightest of touches, he began to nudge the bottom of her tank top up inch by painfully-slow inch, marking his progress with liberal kisses and nips to every bit of flesh that was uncovered along the way. She could feel him smile against her stomach, delighting in the way the muscles trembled beneath his sensuous onslaught. When he reached her heaving breasts, he tenderly palmed the rounded globes and traced invisible swirls on the supple skin with his tongue, purposely avoiding the rosy, budded peaks that cried out for his attention. Calleigh's breath quickened as she wriggled fervently against him, biting her lower lip to stop herself from pleading with him to give her the contact she so desperately wanted.

But Eric would not be rushed. He brushed his fingertips over her collarbone and up her graceful neck, following his hands with his mouth, planting light pecks on the flushed, receptive canvas. He paused to suckle at the sweet spot just beneath Calleigh's ear, drawing a rapturous whimper from her. She pliantly lifted her arms so he could take her top completely off her and toss it carelessly onto the nearby love-seat. Then he fixed her feverish breasts with a desirous stare, communicating his intentions to his breathless partner.

"Eric, oh God," she purred. No further words were needed to let him know what she desired; as her arched back and jutting bosom were signal enough.

Finally, answering her unspoken plea, he brought his lips to a tingling, coral aureole, and she gave a ragged cry of gratitude. She tangled her fingers in his wavy hair, holding him against her as he feasted on the turgid nubbin. His hand wandered over to its neighbor to pinch and tug on the firm tip until it was just as inflamed as the one he was laving with his tongue. His pace unhurried, he kept up this sweet torment for several prolonged minutes, switching his hand and mouth every so often until both her breasts were engorged and throbbing. Somewhere within the haze of her arousal, Calleigh found herself marveling at the ease with which Eric could turn her into a useless, quivering heap of feminine longing. He hadn't even touched her below the belt yet, but she was so stimulated from the magic he'd performed on her breasts that she was already dangerously close to climaxing wildly.

Having completed the first part of his journey over her body, Eric captured her bee-stung lips in a luscious kiss, his tongue foreshadowing the erotic delights to come. His shirt suddenly felt like an irritating barrier between them, so he stopped briefly to remove the offending garment before embarking on his exploration of her lower half. He glided his torso against hers on his way down to her hips, sending sparks of ecstasy shooting through her as his pecs abraded her titillated nipples. Calleigh grabbed onto his shoulders, digging her nails into the sinewy muscles before his southbound trek took him out of her reach.

"Eric, please," she implored, too far-gone to worry about how needy she sounded.

"Just relax and let me love you, Querida," he soothed. "You're so beautiful, and there's so much to enjoy that I don't want to miss a thing."

Eric hooked his thumbs in the waistband of Calleigh's pajama pants and gradually began to slide them down, taking her tiny panties with them; and she willingly lifted her pelvis to facilitate his efforts. He rained reverent kisses on her belly and thighs as he slowly moved down her body, mumbling sweet-nothings about how soft her skin was, how good she felt, and how much he wanted her. The heady scent of her arousal wafted from her center, and his erection pulsed in answer. He tentatively slipped a finger into her swollen folds, growling low in his throat when he felt a rush of her essence anointing his hand. She bucked her hips up from the bed, trying to drive him into her, but he kept his touch agonizingly shallow, deliberately denying her the relief that she sought.

"Ooooh, y- ... you're gonna pay for that," she warned. But in her passion-adled state, her words sounded more yearning than threatening.

"I hope so," he retorted with a laugh, before continuing on with his leisurely tour of her mesmerizing peaks and valleys. As tempted as he was, sampling her womanhood would have to wait, since he wasn't yet done partaking of the many charms offered by the rest of her curvaceous frame. To that end, he stroked and licked his way down her alluring legs, pausing to massage her shapely calves, and finished up by tickling her freshly-manicured toes with feathery brushes of his lips. Her pajama pants and thong were quickly discarded, joining her top on the love-seat.

By the time Eric had completed his odyssey of her body, Calleigh was so aroused that she felt as though she were vibrating. Every sensory nerve was electrified, humming in anticipation of his next move.

Eric's whole body was afire - no doubt, from the couple's steamy activities - and he hastily removed his jeans, hoping that the breeze from the air conditioner would help to cool him down a bit. He kept his boxers on for now, wanting to hold onto some last vestige of control to stop himself from pouncing on the knockout blonde on the bed like an unschooled, hormonal teenager. Of course, he ached to be inside her with everything that was in him, but, before that, there was one final treat that he just couldn't deny himself ...

His hands softly circled her ankles, and he gave a gentle tug, signaling that he wanted her to scoot to the edge of the bed. "C'mere, baby ... I think I might die if I don't taste you right now."

She enthusiastically complied, her breath coming in anxious pants as he bent his head to her core with a look of abject awe on his face. He peppered the delicate skin of her inner thighs with worshipful kisses before lapping hungrily at her clit, earning him a keening cry from the object of his affection. Calleigh's back arched sinuously as he shifted his attention to the moist petals of her sex, taking his time to luxuriate in every one of the captivating mysteries that lay at the heart of her femininity. Delirious with bliss, she anchored herself by grabbing onto his strong shoulders, whispering his name as rhapsodic waves streaked through her.

Her responsiveness was a powerful aphrodisiac, ratcheting up Eric's excitement tenfold. He dipped two questing digits into her pool of desire, and her dewy channel surrounded them as though it had been waiting for them forever. The resulting jolt that tore down his staff astounded and thrilled him. He slowly thrust his fingers in and out of her slick depths, giving her a preview of the rapture they'd both experience when his rod was buried within her. Meanwhile, his other hand snaked up her body to find one of her breasts, where he proceeded to tweak and roll her receptive nipple. Wanting to witness her coming apart under his ministrations, he latched onto the tumid kernel seated atop her fluttering cavern, feeling it blossom under his tongue.

Calleigh felt like she was melting from the inside out as surges of heavenly pressure built between her legs. When he sucked voraciously on her clit and curved the fingers in her cleft towards him, she splintered into a million pieces, bucking furiously as she let out an ecstatic wail. The arms that had been holding her upright turned to jello, and she fell back on the mattress, panting and moaning as her body twitched with aftershocks.

Eric's mouth went dry as his desire-darkened eyes took her in. She was glorious in her climax, an uninhibited, vocal dream come true. Now, as she lay on the bed recovering bit by bit from the intense crest she'd just hit, she looked like a goddess, her eyes dreamy and sated, her hair tousled and strewn around her like a luminous web of gold.

When Calleigh finally regained control of her limp, flaccid body, she sat up and reached for Eric. "I need you naked," she demanded, hurriedly tugging his boxers off him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and playfully pulled him in her direction, causing him to tumble onto the bed beside her. Her hands instinctively found their way to his tumescent maleness, murmuring contentedly as she enjoyed the sensation of silk over steel. It was all he could do to keep from howling uncontrollably.

"Calleigh, baby, you're gonna have to stop that," he cautioned breathily. "Or this is gonna be over much too soon."

"Well, alright ... if you put it that way," she quipped with a sexy pout. She withdrew from his hardness, but continued to lavish the rest of his muscular frame with bewitching caresses. Suddenly, Eric felt inspired ...

"Feel like going for a ride, baby?" he suggested lustily, rolling onto his back and pulling her on top of him. He was incredibly turned on by the slithering of her inner thighs against his hips as she straddled him.

"Oh, I'm always up for a ride," Calleigh flirted back. "And so are you, from what I can feel." To underscore her point, she ground herself against his iron-hard length. The friction was so exquisite that he had to set his jaw to maintain control over his rampant desire.

"Can't wait any longer ... I need to be inside you," he ground out between clenched teeth.

"Your wish is my command," she said with lascivious wink, before lowering herself onto him and joining them as one. She was so aroused that he entered her easily and they both stilled for a moment, savoring the feeling of her damp warmth enfolding him. And when she began to move, the intimate caress of her inner muscles made his toes curl so tightly that he was sure he'd break at least one of them before this interlude was over. The sensation of her snug, wet heat surrounding him - squeezing and gloving him as she rhythmically rocked her pelvis - was nothing short of perfection.

"Damn, Cal, you feel so good," he groaned.

"Right back at you," she managed to reply, but her playful tone was swallowed up by a pleasured gasp as he brushed against her G-spot, stealing her breath. He was so deep inside her that it felt as though he could pierce her very soul, and she whimpered passionately at the intimacy of the act. And if the feel of the man she loved filling her so completely weren't enough to drive her completely insane, the insistent stroking of his hands all over her body as she rode him, surely would've been. Apparently, Eric's penchant for teasing wasn't confined to foreplay - not that she was complaining. In fact, she was happy to reciprocate, exploring the rippling muscles of his abs and chest with her greedy palms, and reaching behind her to caress his toned thighs and the sensitive area between them.

"God, I love you so much," Eric confessed, before drawing her head down to suckle at her mouth once more. Calleigh answered by probing between his pillowy, succulent lips, finding his tongue with her own and engaging him in a sexy duel that sent both their senses reeling.

When she sat back up and resumed the toe-curling swiveling of her hips, it felt like her inner walls were massaging his throbbing shaft, and his eyes nearly crossed from the pleasure. But somehow, he had the presence of mind to reach down to the juncture between her thighs to rub and pet the distended bud at its apex, wanting to take her with him as he hurtled towards the point of no return.

"Mmmhmm, Eric ... oh yes," she encouraged, trying to gain enough control over her vocal cords to tell him that the feeling was mutual. Finally, Calleigh managed to respond, "I love you too," in a shuddering breath.

No matter how many times she uttered those three little words, Eric knew that he'd never, _ever_ get tired of hearing them. Sometimes, he still had to pinch himself to make sure that he was _actually_ making love to this gorgeous, special woman who he'd been crazy about for years; and that her love wasn't just a figment of his very active imagination where she was concerned.

"Say it again," Eric prompted in a low moan, before capturing and holding her entrancing green eyes with his chocolate brown ones. The adoration in his gaze and his relentless strumming on her pulsing clit intensified the desire coiling tighter and tighter in her lower belly. He treated the erect bundle of nerves to one final pinch, and she shattered.

"I love you ... and I'm coming," Calleigh gasped, just before the tremors of ecstasy overtook her. She threw her head back, tossing her lustrous blond locks behind her like a glossy curtain, succumbing to orgasmic waves so powerful that her vision momentarily dimmed around the edges.

Calleigh's passionate declaration and the feel of her velvety heat clenching around him sent Eric flying over the edge, and he came hard, spilling himself in her welcoming body as a euphoric growl of her name tumbled from his lips.

She flopped bonelessly onto his broad chest, quivering against him as residual flashes of her release zipped through her. Her hot breath bathed the erogenous zone between his pecs, sending a shiver of gusto through him. He caringly encircled her in his arms and coasted his hands up and down her smooth back, which was covered in a light sheen of sweat from her romantic exertions. As Eric came down from his pleasurable zenith, the thundering of his pulse in his ears gradually diminished, eventually supplanted by the gratifying sound of Calleigh's languorous moans as she did likewise.

When the fireworks behind his eyes finally subsided, he raised his head and sought out the warm haven of her mouth for a fiery kiss. The need for oxygen ultimately led to the separation of their lips; and then Calleigh climbed off him and settled on the bed, uttering a purr of fulfillment when Eric cradled her head in the crook of his neck.

"Wow, remind me to take out-of-town trips more often, if this is the welcome I get when I return," he quipped.

"Well, you know what they say about absence making the heart grow fonder, even though you were only gone for one night," she bantered back.

"Yeah, well, the next time I hop on a plane destined for someplace far away, I'm hoping it'll be for a _pleasure_ trip that we're taking together; not some one-day, business-related whirlwind."

"Sounds heavenly," she sighed wistfully, images of a relaxing spa holiday already forming in her mind. "It's been awhile since I had a real vacation."

In response, Eric dropped an affectionate peck on her forehead. He didn't reveal his secret wish that one of these forthcoming leisure trips would be their honeymoon; hopefully, not too far down the road. In fact, one of his frequent fantasies consisted of them lying on a beach in some exotic location, with Calleigh wearing something appropriately skimpy (naturally), and a diamond ring and wedding band adorning that special finger of her left hand. He'd known for some time that he wanted her to be his wife; but for now, he wisely held his tongue, intuitively sensing that broaching the subject of marriage too soon would likely scare off his more reticent soulmate. Marital bliss would come in due course, he told himself. It was sufficient for the moment simply to bask in her love and return it tenfold. He'd subsist on his daydreams until the time was right to make them a reality.

This idyllic glimpse into his future with Calleigh made him feel at peace, lulling him into a dreamy state of contentment as they fell into a serene slumber together.

**The End**


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